Reflector signal



March 4, 1930.

J. A. WERTZ REFLECTOR SIGNAL Filed Nov. 2, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i I 7 a1 Try J amen H501:

b/o/uz A. 14 2/12 I WM W March 4, 1930. J. A. WERTZ REFLECTOR SIGNAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 1927 WLSE W J A M i v r y Patented Mar. 4, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN A. WERTZ, F CANTON, OHIO nnrLEc'ron SIGNAL Application filed November My invention relates tosignals as for example for warning automobile drivers of dangerous places in a roadway, and adapted for flashing warning signals by reflecting light from external sources as from the head lights of the oncoming automobiles, thereby warning the drivers of the danger in ample them reflectors are usually made of one material,

which may be an aluminum alloy, and the cases of another material, which may be semisteel, difliculty has been experienced in pro- I viding a reflector construction adapted to resist the alternate differential expansions and contractions of the reflector and casing.

Accordingly the objects of the present improvements include the provision of a reflector signal of high efliciency for reflecting light projected therein, and particularly .3 adapted for reflecting light projected into the signal at relatively wide angles with the normally horizontal longitudinal axis of the reflector. I

Further objects of the improvements in clude the provision of a construction for the reflecting signal permitting independent expansion and contraction of the reflector and V protecting casing.

These and ancillary objects are attained in the improved reflector signal hereinafter set forthin detail, and, which may be stated in general terms'as including a case, and an improved reflector mounted in the case, the reflector and thecase having only three point contact with each other, and thereby being adapted for expansion and contraction inde pendent of each other, and the reflector in cluding a plurality of plane reflector surfaces intersecting each other preferably at right angles to form a pluralityof concave tri- 2, 1927. Serial no. 230,501.

hedral angle reflectors having parallel longitudinal axes.

A preferred embodiment of the present improvements is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in

which 1 Figure 1 is afront elevation of the improved reflector signal,portions of the easing and the colored glass light transmitter being broken away to illustrate the construction of the signal;

Fig. 2, a vertical axial sectional view thereof as on line 22, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, a fragmentary horizontal sectional view thereof as on line 3-8, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, a fragmentary horizontal sectional view thereof as on line 4-4, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5, a fragmentary vertical sectional view thereof, as on line 5-5, Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6, a detached rear elevation view of a partially disassembled reflector for the signal.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

The improved reflector signal indicated 1 generally at 1 includes a case 2 preferably in the form of a semi-steel casting, and including a normally vertically extending rear wall 3 provided therein with an outwardly opening vertically extending '5' slot 4, having an open lower end 5 for receiving heads 6 of supporting bolts'7, which preferably extend horizontally from a standard'8 for supporting the signal, and'the T slothaving a closed upper end 9 for hanging the casing on the upper supporting bolt 7.

' Trapezoidal case walls 10, 11, and 12 extend forwardly from the case rear wall 3, and the inner surfaces of the walls 10, 11, and 12 form a concave truncated trihedral angle, and the forward edges of the walls 10, 11, and 12 form a closed triangle, and flanges 10, 11", and 12 extend outwardly respectively from the forward edges of the walls 10, 11, and 12. Forwardly extending flanges 10", 11 and 12 project respectively from the outer edges of the outwardly extending flanges 10, 11 and 12 The case 2 carries therein, an improved reflector indicated generally at '13, and which are formed by the outer polished plane sur- 3 faces of outer trapezoidal reflector plates 15, 15, and 15, the side edges of which are contiguous with each other, and the planes of which are preferably perpendicular with each.

other, and of inner square reflector plates 16, 16, and 16, the planes of which are'preferably perpendicular to each other end to the several intersecting planes of the outer plates; the outer plane surfaces of the square plates 16, 16, and 16 thus being three outer intersecting plane surfaces of a cube, with their apex at 17 A concave right 'trihedral angle reflector is thus formed by the intersecting outer plane surface of each of the following plates: 15, 15, and 16; 16, 15, and 15; and 15, 16, and 15. a v

The longitudinal axes through the apexes 14, 14, and 14 of the several trihedral angle reflectors are thus parallel with each other, and with the longitudinal axis passing through the cube apex 17, which is the longitudinal axis of the reflector 13 as a whole.

By this arrangement ofthe reflecting surfaces, any light ray projected into the reflector 13 within an angle of substantially 45 degrees with the longitudinal reflector axis through the apex 17, will be reflected back towards the source of light bythe action of the surfaces of the trihedralangle reflectors in tersecting each other at degrees, according to the well-known law that the angle of re flection from a plane reflector is equal to the angle of incidence, whereby any ray striking one of the reflector surfaces at a given angle will be reflected from that surface towards one of the other intersecting reflecting surfaces and strike the second surface at the original angle of incidence, the angle between the planes of thereflecting-surfaces being 90 degrees; and consequently the ray is reflected from the second-surface in a ray which isparallel with the incident ray.

The improved reflector 13 is secured within the casing for providing independent differ-- ential expansions and contractions of thereflector and casing, by the following means: A reflector mounting block 18 includes six walls having outer plane faces at right angles with each other and lying in the se'veralplanes of a cube. The outer surfaces of the cubical rear 1 walls 19, 19, and 19 of the block 18 are adapted for abutment with the outer surfaces of the smaller ends of the reflector plates 15, 15, and 15, respectively, Suitable apertures 20-are provided in each of the walls19, 19

and 19, whereby the reflector plates 15, 15, 3

passing through the apertures 20 and being provided with suitable nuts and there being preferably provided a. backing'plate 22 between each ofthe reflector plates and its bolt head. 7

The front cubical walls 23, 23, and 23 of the block 18 have outer surfaces at'right angles with each other and adapted for abutment against the inner surfaces of the cube plates 16, 16, and 16 respectively.

Tangs2t on the cube plates 16, 16, and 16 are adapted for engagement with tangs 25 on the trapezoidal plates 15, 15, and 15 for securing the cube plates, which are preferably folded from a single sheet of material, upon the block 18, as aforesaid.

lar wall 26 perpendicular to the diagonal of the cube coinciding with the planes of the outerfaces ofthe several walls 19, 19, and

a1 reflector axis through the apex 17 A threaded aperture 27, whose center coini V cides with this cube diagonal, is providedin the triangular wall 26 for receiving thethreaded end 28 of a clamping screw 29 which passes the block 18forabutrnent againstthree ribs 32 protruding outwardly from the front face of the wall 3, whereby when the threaded end 28 of the screw 30 is screwed into the threaded aperture 27 of the triangular wall 26, the head 33 of the screw abuts against the outer face of the wall 3, clamping the block 18 in place within the casing, with three point contact between the block and casing at the feet 31 and flanges 32, and the inner surfaces of the case walls 10, 11, and 12 being spaced a suitable distance from all surfaces of the reflector 13 and its mounting on the block 18 whereby the reflector 13 and case 2 may expand and contract independently of each other. 7 r V I Q For coloring the signal light reflected from the reflector 13, a triangular pane 34 of wire glass preferably colored red is provided for 38 protrude from the outer edges of the flanges 36, 37, and 38, respectively, for overlapping the forwardly extending case flanges 10 11 and12 j.

The front walls 23, 23, and 23 of the block 7 '18 merge attheir forward ends in a triangu- .90 1 19, 23, 23, and 23; this cube diagonal co- .inciding with the longitudin Bolts 40 extend through suitable apertures in the flanges 36 37 and 38 registered with like apertures in the flanges 11 and'12,

respectively, and suitable nuts 41 for the bolts complete the means for clamping the colored glass pane 34: at the forward open end of the case 2 over the reflector 13.

I claim:

1. A reflector signal including a casing, a reflector mounting block secured to the casing, a reflector mounted on the mounting block within the casing, and cooperating means between the mounting block and casing permitting independent expansion and contraction of the reflector and the casing.

2. A reflector signal including a casing, a reflector mounting block secured to the casing, a plurality of plane reflector surfaces secured to the mounting block within the casing, and cooperating means between the mounting block and casing permitting independent expansion and'contraction of the reflector surfaces and the casing.

3. A reflector signal including a casing, a reflector mounting block, a reflector mounted on' the mounting block within the casing, a plurality of ribs on the casing, a plurality of feet on the mounting block for abutment against the ribs, and means for clamping the mounting block within the casing with the ribs and feet in engagement.

4. A reflector signal including a casing, a reflector mounting block secured to the easing, a plurality of plane reflector surfaces intersecting each other at right angles carried by the mounting block, and cooperating means between the mounting block and casing permitting independent expansion and contraction of the reflector surfaces and the casing.

5. A reflector signal including a casing, a

reflector mounting block secured to the casing, a plurality of trihedral angular reflec tors carried by the mounting block, and cooperating means between the mounting block and easing permitting independent expansion and contraction of the reflectors and the casing. 6. A reflector signal including a casing, a cubical reflector mounting block secured to the casing three plane reflector surfaces independently mounted on three sides of the cubical mounting block, three plane reflector surfaces inclosing the remaining three sides of the mounting block, and cooperating means between the first three reflector surfaces and the last three reflector surfaces securing the last three reflector surfaces in abutment against the mounting block.

7 A reflector signal including a casing, a cubical reflector mounting block secured to the casing, and a plane reflector surface mounted on each of the outer surfaces of the said cubical mounting block and spaced from the casing. 

